


Family Is Everything

by DirtiestGirlInAmerica



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Daddy fic, M/M, literally they are parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-12
Updated: 2012-11-12
Packaged: 2017-11-18 12:16:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/560989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DirtiestGirlInAmerica/pseuds/DirtiestGirlInAmerica
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis never thought his life would be like this</p>
            </blockquote>





	Family Is Everything

Colby and Cobus were just under a month old. Louis was the twins biological father, but it was Harry’s sister Gemma that had carried them, so they had both Harry and Louis’ blood. Harry was biologically their uncle but to the twins, he was dad.  
Louis and Harry alternated at night. For the midnight feeding Harry would get up, the three o’clock feeding Louis’ would get up, for the six o’clock feeding Harry would get up. Harry would put them back to bed and then around eight Louis would get up and make Harry breakfast.  
It worked for them, But some nights they would both get up at the same time. Louis would feed Cobus and Harry would feed Colby. Harry liked it best when they both got up with the twins, he liked having “family time”.  
It was three days until the twins would be a month old.  
Harry had just finished their midnight feeding, Cobus was fussy, which was upsetting Colby. He was trying to calm Cobus down, but wasn’t succeeding.  
“C’mon Cobus. Baby it’s okay. You need to go back to sleep baby. It’s late.” He was rubbing and patting the baby’s back. He assumed that Cobus had gas, it was the only think he could think of. They had run out of gas drops the day before. Louis was going to get some in the morning.  
Harry had been struggling to calm Cobus for almost fifteen minutes. Colby was getting more and more aggravated by the minute. Harry tried to calm her at the same time.  
“Shh. Baby girl, it’s alright.” Cobus was whining and whimpering but not exactly crying. Soon enough though, both Cobus and Colby were screaming.  
\--------  
Louis was woken up by the sound of the sound of the twins screaming. He looked at the the clock on the nightstand. It was nearly one and Harry was not in bed, he must not have come back since he left for their last feeding.  
Louis went to go see what was wrong.  
Without saying a word, he picked Colby up out of her crib.  
“Hunny, I know your brother’s crying, but baby you’re okay.” he held her close to his chest and gently rubbed her back. She calmed down quite a bit.  
“Harry, love what’s wrong with him?”  
“I’m not sure. He just didn’t calm after he ate.”  
“You take Colby, let me have him.” Harry took their daughter from Louis.  
“Hey baby boy. Your okay sweetie. Does your tummy hurt?” Louis motioned for Harry to follow him.  
They went into the bedroom, Louis layed on his back with Cobus laying on his tummy on Louis’ chest. Harry did the same with Colby, who was asleep within minutes.  
Louis patted and rubbed Cobus’ back.  
Eventually he fell asleep.  
“Lou, I didn’t know what to do.” Louis smiled slightly, though Harry couldn’t see it.  
“Just got more experience than you.” Harry laughed softly.  
“Don’t know what I’d do without you Lou. Love you.”  
“Love you too Haz.”  
————  
The twins were seven months old now, Cobus was trying to walk. It was insane, Colby had started crawling at six months, Cobus around five. They were smart kids, and now Cobus was trying to walk. He would pull himself up on the furniture. It was so incredibly cute and amazing.  
Louis had just gotten home from the market when it happened Cobus walked from one side of the room to the other, then promptly fell flat onto his bottom.  
Louis had damn near dropped everything he was carrying.  
Harry was rushing over to where Cobus was.  
“Good job baby.” Colby noticed Louis and crawled toward him.  
“Dada.” Louis set the bags he was carrying down on the floor and picked her up.  
“Hi baby girl.”  
“You did so good baby. I’m so proud of you.” Harry was talking to Cobus who was now playing with some blocks.  
“Haz, I think he gets it.” Louis laughed as he spoke.  
“I’m just so happy.”  
“I know baby.” The entire time Louis was holding her, Colby was tugging on Louis’ hair, playing.  
“C’mon Colby, enough of that.” Louis gave her a kiss and set her down. She didn’t seem to mind, she crawled toward Harry and Cobus who were building a tower out of blocks.  
He picked up the bags and proceeded into the kitchen with them.  
————  
It was the twins first birthday. They were having a huge party for them.  
All the boys were invited, Niall and Zayn were bringing their daughter Zoie with them, and Liam was bringing his son Draven with him, Danielle had given birth to Draven three years ago, sadly she died during the birth, she had hemorrhaged and lost so much blood, there was nothing the doctors could do.  
The party started at two, it was currently noon.  
They were busy decorating the house for the party while the birthday boy and girl rested before their party.  
“No, Haz. The Spongebob streamers don’t go there. Let me do it. You finish blowing up these balloons.” Everything had to be perfect. It’s not everyday that your babies turn one.  
“Lou, calm down. Everything will be fine.” Of course Harry was right,  
Once everyone showed up and the twins were awake.  
They ate and then the kids played for awhile.  
“Alright time for birthday cake.” Harry and Louis put Cobus and Colby into their highchairs and everyone gathered around them.  
They all sang happy birthday.  
“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Cobus and Colby, happy birthday to you.”  
After Harry cut the big cake and everyone got a piece, Louis gave each baby their own little cake.  
Colby dug in, instantly. Frosting and cake all over. Cobus, however was cautious. he just barely let his fingers touch the frosting. He looked to Louis, as if asking for permission to eat it.  
“You can eat it baby.” And that’s exactly what Cobus did. He stuck his hand into the cake and brought a huge chunk up to his mouth.  
By the time the twins were done eating, Cobus’ face was stained blue and Colby’s was pink. Louis’ mum as well as Harry’s mum had been taking pictures the entire time, they were sure to get a few good shots of the twins covered in frosting.  
Harry cleaned up their highchairs and the surrounding floor while Louis gave them a mutual bath.  
Once everything was cleaned up and the twins were in clean clothes, it was time to open the presents.  
Louis and Harry sat on the floor, Cobus in Louis’ lap and Colby in Harry’s..  
The twins tore the wrapping paper off of the gifts.  
They got some new toys, and some new outfits.  
Shortly after the presents were opened, everyone was leaving. It was almost six thirty.  
“T’ank you.” Colby thanked everyone, she was a slightly advanced in her speech.  
“T’k ‘ou.” Cobus tried to do the same as Colby, but struggled a bit.  
————  
“Daddy?”  
“What Cobus?”  
“When’s dad and Colby gonna be home?”  
“Soon bud. You know Colby had a piano lesson today.”  
“I know, but I’m bored.  
“Well then let’s do something.”  
“What?”  
“What do you want to do?”  
“Can we play video games?”  
“Sure bud.”  
Cobus ran across the room and turned the console on and then brought Louis a game controller.  
“Thanks.” Louis smiled at his son.  
The game started, it was Mario Kart, Lou hadn’t played it for quite a while, but he couldn’t be too rusty.  
Cobus was kicking Lou’s butt. That is until the fourth round. Louis won.  
“Yes. I finally won.” Cobus laughed.  
“Play again?”  
“Sure thing.”  
They played at least fourteen more rounds before the front door opened and Colby and Harry came in.  
Cobus paused the game and jumped up.  
“Hi, dad. Colby wanna play?”  
“Of course.” The pair took off toward one of their bedrooms.  
Harry sat down next to Louis on the couch.  
“Video games Lou? Haven’t seen you playing one of these in a while.” Harry picked up the controller and un-paused the game.  
“Oh no, you’re not beating me.” Louis tried to concentrate on winning, but he couldn’t. Not with how close to him Harry was.  
Harry won, only because Louis quit trying halfway though.  
“I won Boo.” Harry stuck his tongue out, it reminded Louis of when they were younger, when Harry was still the adorable seventeen year old.  
Louis did the first thing that came to his mind, he stuck his own tongue out and licked Harry’s.  
That simple move started quite a heated make-out session. It felt like the old days again. Like when they first started dating.  
“Ew.” Colby screeched.  
Louis and Harry pulled apart quicker than quick.  
“Baby we were just,” Before Harry could finish his sentence, Colby spoke.  
“I know what you were doing. It’s still icky.” Neither of them knew what to say.  
“Why is it icky baby?”  
“Coz your not supposed to kiss in front of me or Cobus.” They both laughed, they had assumed that she meant them kissing was icky for a completely different reason, obviously they were wrong.  
“So what’d you need baby?”  
“We wanted a snack.”  
“Of course baby, I’ll get you something. You go back and play with Cobus, I’ll bring it in to you.” Harry headed for the kitchen.  
“Thanks dad.”  
————  
“Daddy!” Louis dropped the book he was reading and took off running toward his screaming daughter.  
“Colby, what is it? What’s wrong?” He tried to keep calm, he wasn’t succeeding well.  
“I..I’m bleeding.”  
“What’d you do? Do you need to go to the hospital?”  
“No daddy, not like that.”  
“What do you me—oh. Oh baby, that’s normal, remember we had this talk already baby.”  
“I know daddy but..I’m—what do I do?”  
“Well I’m going to give your dad a quick call, hopefully get him before he leaves the store and we will handle this when he gets home.” She nodded, Louis could see the fear in her eyes.  
Louis stepped out into the hall to call Harry.  
“Hi Lou. Anything wrong?”  
“No, well yes actually. Colby started her period and,” Harry cut him off.  
“You need me to buy her some..erm items.” Louis, almost almost laughed at the way Harry worded it, but he didn’t, this was a serious conversation.  
“Yes. Please.”  
“No problem. I’ll be home in about fifteen minutes, I’ve got to stop at Liam’s and pick up Cobus too.”  
“Alright, just hurry. Please. She’s really upset.”  
“I will. Love you Lou.”  
“Love you too.” Louis heard Harry’s faint goodbye before the line clicked.  
Louis stepped back into Colby’s room,”Dad’ll be home soon baby.” he sat down on the bed next to his daughter.  
“It’s going to be okay sweetie.”  
“I know daddy, but I’m scared.”  
“I know. But it’ll be okay. It happens to girls every where.” She laughed a little bit.  
“I know daddy, but I’m only eleven.”  
“It happens to girls of all ages baby. It just means your growing up.”  
“I know, we already had this talk Daddy.”  
They talked back and forth a bit, Louis occasionally making her laugh, until Harry was home.  
Harry brought the small box in and handed it to Colby.  
“You know what to do, right baby?”  
“I think so.”  
“Just peel the paper off and then it’ll stick.” Louis rolled his eyes, twice now Harry had worded something so serious, in such a horrible way.  
“If you need any help baby, I’ll be right here.” Louis smiled at his daughter.  
“Thanks daddy, you too dad.”  
“Don’t mention it baby girl.”  
————  
“Dad, can I talk to you.” Harry was chopping vegetables for the stew he was making when Cobus wanted to talk to him.  
“Sure, what’s on your mind?”  
“I..uh..dad can I go on a date?”  
“With who?”  
“Uh..well..”  
“What’s her name Cobus?”  
“Luke.” Luke? A boy?  
“A boy?”  
“Yeah.” Harry was the last person who would have anything wrong with that, but he hadn’t even thought that..  
“Where do you two want to go?”  
“Just to the cinema. I can pay for it all myself, got some birthday and Christmas money saved up, but—we’ll need a ride. Could you..?”  
“When?”  
“Friday.”  
“Sure. I can give you a ride.”  
Friday came and Harry gave the pair a ride, and picked them up.  
On the car ride home, after dropping Luke off, Cobus and Harry had a nice little chat.  
“So, how’d it go?”  
“It was great. The film was really nice.”  
“Anything happen?”  
Cobus was quiet for a minute, but when he finally spoke he was a bit flustered. “W..what do you mean?”  
“You know what I mean Cobus.”  
“We uh—held hands a little bit.”  
“Anything else?” Harry knew he probably shouldn’t be asking well forcing Cobus to tell him, if Louis knew—he’d have a fit.  
“N..n..no.” Clearly a lie.  
“Cobus..”  
“He..we..kissed. It was only once though.”  
Harry let out a small chuckle.  
“It’s okay, ya know that right Cobus? Your almost sixteen.”  
“I know dad, I just—didn’t want to upset you.”  
“You never could Cobus. Ever. Besides, you know I met your daddy when I was sixteen.”  
“I know you met Lou when you were my age but—dad I..I don’t think..I mean, I’m gay and Luke’s the only other guy like me that I know and I like him, but I don’t know if I actually want any of this..not now.” Harry was slightly confused by his son’s words, but at the same time he made some sense of them.  
“Cobus, you don’t have to be with someone now. If you don’t want to.”  
“It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just that, I like Luke, I really do, but I think part of the reason I’m doing this is because there’s no one else.”  
“That’s not true Cobus. There are other people, just like you, just like me and your daddy. Lots of other people. Trust me Cobus, in a few years when you go off to University you’ll meet lots of new people.”  
They stopped outside the house.  
“Have fun with your daddy. I’ll see you and Colby next Friday.”  
————  
It was the day after the twins graduation, they were throwing a bit of a party at Louis’ house. Harry and Louis were so proud of their children.  
“Hello Harry.”  
“Hi Lou. How’ve you been?”  
“Fine Harry. You?”  
“Alright, a bit lonely I guess.”  
“Yeah, me too.”  
Harry and Louis had split when the twins were thirteen. It wasn’t some big fight or anything, they just sort of drifted.  
“Lou, do you ever—do you ever want things to be the way they were?”  
“All the time.”  
“Boo can we..?” Louis didn’t say anything, he pressed his lips to Harry’s.  
The kiss was soft and sweet and full of regret. Regret for the lost years, regret for drifting apart.  
“Hazza, I’ve missed you so much.” Over the last few years, the pair had only seen each other a handful of times, Harry would drop the twins off at Louis’ place every other Friday night, Louis did the same. Neither of them ever left their cars during those times. The twins always had separate birthday parties with each of their parents.  
The split caused some tension between them and the twins. Cobus had gotten a lot closer to Harry, and no longer called Louis dad, he was just Lou. Colby was equally close to both of them, but she seemed to prefer Louis over Harry.  
It was almost as if the twins had chose sides. But really there weren’t sides to choose from. Nothing bad had happened to cause the split, so it wasn’t like one parent was right and the other was wrong or anything thing like that.  
“Can we try to be—us again?” Harry had felt the tension or whatever the hell it was building between him and Lou for quite a while. Every time they had seen each other, Harry felt a spark.  
“Lou, I want that more than anything but—is it what you really want?”  
“Absolutely. These last years without you, have been horrible. Haz, if I could. I’d go back and change all of this. I’d never have left.”  
Harry felt the tears welling up in his eyes.  
“I love you Louis. I love you so much.”  
“I love you too Harry.”  
————  
Louis and Harry bought a new house together. The twins were off and school when their parents moved, they didn’t actually find out until they came home for Christmas.  
“I still can’t believe you and him are back together.”  
“Why’s that?”  
“I don’t know dad, it’s just that—well dad, you two were apart for a long time, years. And now all of a sudden you live together again.”  
“Cobus, you’ve gotta understand I love your daddy. I have since I was sixteen. I’m going to always love him. No matter what happens. No matter how long we are apart or how far from each other we are. I love him Cobus, that’s all there is to it.”  
“But dad, Lou’s not,”  
Harry cut him off before he could say anything else, “You’ve really gotta stop calling him that. At least call him dad.”  
“But Lou is his name.”  
“Yes, I know, but he’s your dad.”  
“No, you’re dad. Not him.”  
“Cobus, you do realize that biologically, I’m just your uncle. I raised you, but biologically, I’m not your dad.”  
“I don’t care. You’re my dad, not him.”  
“Is that how you really feel Cobus Mathieu Styles-Tomlinson?” Harry’s heart dropped.  
“Yes, it is. You left dad. You left us. We didn’t see you for six months, and then suddenly you had a place and you wanted us to come see you every other week. You left. You didn’t love us.”  
Harry could see the tears threatening to fall from Louis’ eyes.  
“I did leave, but it wasn’t because I didn’t love you. It was never because I didn’t love you. Cobus, I left because your dad and I, we grew apart. We never spent time together, I was terrified that I was going to lose him. So I left before that could happen. I thought that maybe if I left first, it wouldn’t hurt so much. But I was wrong, so wrong. And I’m sorry for that every day.” Louis wasn’t holding his tears back anymore, and neither was Cobus.  
“I’m sorry daddy, I didn’t know.”  
“You couldn’t have known. Don’t be sorry baby.” Louis pulled his son into his arms, Harry silently excused himself from the room. He went to find Colby, make sure she was okay with everything.  
“Hey Colby. How’re you doing baby girl?”  
“Fine dad. Why?”  
“Just wondering baby. You know why daddy and I split up right?”  
“I didn’t, not at the time. But over the years, I figured it out. Not completely, but I know that it wasn’t either of your faults, and it was nothing that Cobus or I did.”  
“Baby girl, I love you and daddy loves you. We weren’t trying to hurt you or your brother. Baby, we just—daddy and I just weren’t close anymore. We didn’t spend enough time together.”  
“I know dad. You don’t have to tell me. It’s okay. I’m fine now.”  
Harry hugged her, then went to find Louis.  
————  
It was the twins twenty third birthday, Harry cooked a big meal for them.  
Cobus had brought his boyfriend Danny home with him. Colby had brought her boyfriend AJ home with her.  
About halfway through dinner Colby said that she had an announcement to make.  
“Daddy, dad. AJ and I are getting married.”  
“Congratulations baby.” Harry and Louis spoke at the same time.  
“That’s not all..”  
“What else?” Harry asked, Louis stayed silent, but had a look on his face.  
“Well..I’m pregnant.”  
Harry let out a small scream and was almost instantly crying and babbling about how happy he was.  
Louis on the other hand, he was happy but not, he wanted Colby to stay his baby girl forever, but he knew that she was a grown up now. She was an adult.  
“How far along are you?” Cobus asked his sister.  
“About eight weeks.”  
“That’s so cool. I’m gonna be an uncle.”  
The twins chatted back and forth for a few minutes about the engagement as well as the pregnancy, Harry tried to calm himself down and Louis sat there in silence.  
Just thinking, thinking about how he was forty eight, how he was going to be a grandfather, about how his little baby was going to have a baby, about how his baby was getting married. It was all too much.  
That night in bed, Louis was restless. He couldn’t sleep, he kept tossing and turning.  
“Boo, what’s wrong?”  
“Nothing Haz. Go back to sleep.”  
“No, Louis. Tell me.”  
“I just—God Haz, did you ever think that we’d be here?”  
“What d’you mean Louis?”  
“Harry, I’m forty eight years old, your forty five, and we’re still together, sure there were a few bumps but fuck we didn’t let that stop us. And now we’re going to be grandparents, and our baby is getting married. Christ Harry, I never once thought that any of this would ever happen.”  
“I feel the same way Lou. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”  
“Harry, I love you.”  
“I love you too Lou.”

**Author's Note:**

> I apologize now for any errors, tell me about them and I’ll fix them. I also apologize if this is complete crap, I’ve never been able to successfully writing anything that was 1D related.


End file.
